Blender Rating Sources

Our AssessmentThis testing was originally performed in September 2012 with editors challenging nine blenders, including several in this report, with a variety of blending tasks. Tests included crushing ice, making frozen drinks, and blending lump-free smoothies, milkshakes, and hummus. They also measured noise levels. The report was updated in January 2014 to include long-term durability results. Testing durability included putting the blenders through the same battery of original tests. Testers also made smoothies using fibrous ingredients, such as frozen pineapple and stringy raw kale, every day for a month.

Our AssessmentRy Crist conducts rigorous testing of seven blenders, ranging in price from $50 to $450, putting them through a battery of blending tests, including the basic tasks like making smoothies and crushing ice. However, to really put the blenders through their paces, he also tested them to see if they could mill whole almonds into almond flour, turn the almond flour into almond butter and make whipped cream. Finally, in what he refers to as "the torture test," determining whether or not a blender could grate/shred/blend an entire 8-ounce block of sharp cheddar cheese.

Our AssessmentFor this report, the team of professional testers at ConsumerReports.org spent hours crushing ice, preparing frozen drinks, puréeing soups and grating Parmesan cheese in 79 blenders, ranging from $30 to $450. Using these test results and their ratings of each blender's noise level, durability and convenience the blenders are ranked from best to worst in an easy-to-read chart. Editors conclude that "you needn't spend a bundle to get a decent blender"; their list of 10 recommended blenders includes two under $100.

Our AssessmentCristine Cyr Clisset reviews nine blenders, using hands-on testing, research and expert interviews to arrive at her top pick: the Vitamix 5200. The Vitamix gets a thorough review, but so do all of the runners up. They're also compared and contrasted, resulting in a very helpful guide to what blenders are suitable for a wide variety of blending tasks, from heavy-duty to light.

Our AssessmentValentina Palladino tests five single-serve blenders, making drinks using several different ingredients -- yogurt, frozen berries, Nutella, ice cream, and fresh fruit -- to gauge varying consistencies and emulsification. She also looked at the size and weight of the machines, ease of operation, and portability. Each blender gets a thorough review and are rated on a scale out of 10. Reviews include pros and cons and a good description of features.

Our AssessmentTesters at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute put 38 blenders through their paces, considering ease of use, customer service and performance in grinding, chopping and smoothie-making. They discover that more complex controls, high wattages and lofty price tags don't always correlate with blending performance. Each blender is given a letter grade and a list of pros and cons. Only one blender, the Oster Beehive, earns a grade of A+, but plenty of blenders earn a grade of A or A-, still good ratings. Good Housekeeping doesn't account for durability, and some of its top picks turn out to be duds in other reviews.

Our AssessmentAmazon.com has 254 pages of blenders in all price ranges and sizes. It is an excellent source for owner reviews of blenders -- which often note durability problems that are missed by some professional tests. It's also a great way to learn how well the blender performs in real-world use. Costly blenders from Vitamix and Blendtec get stellar ratings with 175 or more reviews posted, but cheaper models from Ninja, Oster and less well-known manufacturers do well, too.

Our AssessmentBedBathandBeyond.com is a popular site for appliance purchases, and they have dozens of blenders to choose from. There are not as many reviews for the blenders here as there is at Amazon.com, but they are detailed and include pros and cons. There are also ratings breakdowns for value and quality, and a percentage listed of those who would refer the product to a friend.

Our AssessmentLike BedBathandBeyond.com, Target.com has fewer reviews overall for individual blenders, but there are plenty of blenders on this site and many have dozens of reviews. It's a great resource for mid-level, general use blenders, which dominate the search results. Ratings are given for overall averages as well as for total value.

Our AssessmentWalmart.com is a great resource for mid-level, general use blenders, as well as less expensive models that might fall by the wayside on other sites. Reviews are a little hard to access, you have to know where to look to get them to come up (the very bottom of each product page, small blue letters), but tend to be thorough and well-thought-out.

Our AssessmentEditors of Chow.com do not do blender roundups or compare and contrast reviews, but they do rigorously test individual products which is helpful once you've narrowed it down to a specific blender. Reviews are extremely thorough and include pros and cons, a 5-star rating system and an in-depth look at how the blender performs, its design and any information of general interest. Pictures illustrate the testing.

Our AssessmentMen's Journal enlists chef and restaurant owner Jesse Schenker to test four blenders. He likes Breville's Hemisphere Control best – declaring that, "if it could grind spices, it'd be my dream blender." However, he also likes the built-in hot plate on the Cuisinart Blend and Cook. The Vitamix Professional Series 500 can crush peppercorns, but it's pricey and should have crushed ice better, Schenker concludes. The Omega BL480 "crushes ice like a beast," but it's not precise enough for other tasks like chopping herbs.

This is our assessment of the review’s relevance, clarity of testing and thoroughness.

Read more about our Ratings Criteria by clicking the link at the top of the page.

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